Stranger
by Emil Steilson
Summary: Zero falls in to a strangers arms litteraly...? Note I have a dopted this story from ohmytuesday and the first 3 chaps are done by ohmytuesday.
1. Chapter 1

Harsh panting. Silvery hair flashing in the breeze. Zero chanced a glance behind him at the damned persistent pureblood and upon seeing Kaname's brunette locks not too far behind, increased his speed even further, paying no attention to the people walking all around him.

His lucky escape came in the form of a group of American tourists milling around the entrance of an electrical appliance store. Putting on a burst of speed, he dove into the melee and made his way unnoticed, he hoped, past the glass doors of the boutique.

Turning the corner into the refrigerator section, Zero slumped against the wall, tangling his fingers in his uniquely coloured hair. Catching his breath, he sighed in exasperation. "That bloody bastard just doesn't know when to give up." he cursed.

Zero felt a wave of dizziness overcome him. Swaying slightly on his feet, he tried to grab onto the handle of a nearby refrigerator door, but his suddenly limp fingers just couldn't hold on. He stumbled, tripped and fell—straight into the arms of a tall, raven-haired stranger carrying a katana on his hip. "What the fuck? Another moyashi? Oi, get the fuck off me." was the last thing he heard before the world turned black.

Kaname frowned in disappointment as he lost sight of his darling, bad-tempered, high-strung, oh-so-adorable ex-human hunter. Damn! He was this close to making Zero his…

He sniffed daintily at the air and wrinkled his nose in disgust. Tokyo smelled horrible.

Wait. What was that? He scented the air again.

Zero. He smiled smugly, allowing himself a moment of triumph before disappearing into thin air, presumably after his beloved's trail.

Fuck this! Yuu Kanda sweared vehemently in his mind. He was just minding his own business, taking a leisurely walk after his meal, when this random silver-haired stranger fell literally into his arms. So what was he supposed to do? Today was so not his day, he thought, rolling his eyes.

Kanda was just about to leave the silverette lying on the floor when the sound of glass shattering greeted his ears. Swiftly, Mugen was pulled out of its sheath, meeting and fending off the lethal claws of a furious brunette with resounding clangs.

This guy, this must be where all the innocence activity is coming from! Kanda activated Mugen and leaped forward, shielding the unconscious stranger in an effort to protect him from the raging attack. However, his actions only served to further incense the crimson-eyed man, who jumped past him to stand over the pale youth still lying on the floor. "Zero is mine." he snarled, revealing the presence of razor-sharp fangs to a momentararily stunned Kanda.

His innocence appears to give him extraordinary strength and speed, and fangs like a vampire's… Kanda mused, as if analyzing data for his report to Komui. I wonder if he really needs to drink human blood?...

Kanda lunged forward, bringing Mugen down in a diagonal slash before pivoting and dodging the sharp-edged claws aimed right at his heart. Whirling around, he slashed at the space in front of him, and then in a surprise move, crouched down, suddenly changing the angle of the attack. He was rewarded with an irritated growl. The long-haired exorcist smirked, mentally cataloging the move for use in similar clawed attacks.

Suddenly, the scarlet-eyed creature vanished. Eyes wide open, Kanda glanced around uneasily, he turned around just in time to see something swoop down on him with astonishing speed from above.

Fuck! He jumped out of the way. Not fast enough.

He felt claws ripping through his right shoulder and down his back. Kanda stumbled a step backwards, clutching at the bloodstained rags of his Black Order uniform still hanging off his body. "I'm fucking screwed." flashed through his mind as he regained his balance and raised Mugen, already feeling his body starting to weaken.

Across him, the brunette smiled, licking blood off his claws.

Zero awoke to the metallic scent of blood. Immediately, his bloodlust flared into existence. Letting out a small gasp, he pulled himself into a half-sitting position and pressed his right palm against he tattoo staining his neck.

It worked for the moment, thankfully. The ex-human hunter sighed in relief, finally shifting his gaze from the wall, sounds of the surrounding chaos filtering into his dulled senses.

"What the fuck?" Amethyst-silver eyes widened in shock. Kuran was in full raging-mad-pureblood mode, his once elegant hands extended into vicious claws, eyes glowing blood red.

But who was the other guy? Zero racked his brains but came up with nothing. Nope, he was pretty sure he had never seen the strange, ponytailed man before in his life. Whoever he was, Zero found himself fascinated. He wielded a traditional Japanese sword with astonishing skill, grace and speed. For a moment, the silver-haired youth wondered if he was a vampire, then just as quickly, dismissed the notion. His hunter senses would have picked up on that.

Just then, the swordsman raised his katana high in the air with a cry of "MUGEN, SECOND ILLUSION!" Running two fingers along the blade, it shined with a strange green light before becoming seemingly longer and deadlier. He leaped forward, missing Kuran's neck by barely a centimetre.

Zero opened his mouth to groan in disappointment, but caught himself in time. Snapping out of his fascination, he took in his surroundings. His jaw dropped. The shit really hit the fan this time. Kuran was going to have a hell of a time modifying memories. A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. That should keep him busy enough.

Returning his attention to the fight, the level D immediately whipped out his beloved Bloody Rose and fired a shot. With deadly accuracy, the bullet hit Kuran's right shoulder, effectively stopping him before he could gouge out his opponent's heart.

Zero quickly stuffed his gun back into his jacket pocket and moved towards the ebony-haired stranger, frowning when he saw blood staining his clothes. He performed a hunter charm to suppress his bloodlust before stopping an arm's length away.

"We have to go. Now." The lilac-eyed youth said, his tone serious. "Kuran's not going to heal at his normal rate for about two hours. We should leave before the rest of the Night Class arrives."

The injured samurai hesitated before replying. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Just move it! I'll explain when we're safe!" Zero replied, sounding frustrated.

The raven-haired swordsman thought for a moment. Deciding to trust the hunter, he strode out into the bright sunlight, expecting Zero to follow.


	2. Chapter 2

Kaname hissed in pain and anger, clutching at the still-bleeding bullet wound on his right shoulder. Narrowing his crimson eyes, he tried desperately to push himself into a sitting position. Takuma and the others would be arriving soon, and he didn't want them to see him like this.

He cursed under his breath. Dammit! Why wasn't the wound healing? The effeminate bastard was getting away!

Kaname stared in disbelief as his beloved ex-human hunter followed meekly after the swaying mane of lacquered ebony. Fuming, the pureblood prince glared daggers after their retreating backs, letting out a mental stream of obscenities. Who exactly was he to Zero? Zero was his, and no one else was allowed to touch him.

Kaname growled in frustration, cursing the anti-vampire venom surging through his veins. Trying and failing to shake away his body's sluggishness, he decided that the swordsman would die horribly at his hands. Zero belonged to him, and he would do anything, anything at all, to keep his love by his side.

If looks could kill, Kanda would be dead by now. The exorcist rolled his blue-grey eyes in disgust, feeling his opponent's wrath-filled glare drilling holes at the back of his head. Che. As if that was of any use. Pathetic weakling.

Quickening his steps, he sheathed Mugen with a loud clang, unsuccessfully suppressing a pained wince. It caught the attention of the silver-haired teen walking behind him, to his utmost annoyance. Kanda prayed with all his might that he wouldn't turn out to be another mother-hen type like the first bean sprout, overreacting and insisting on dragging him to doctors. Like he needed all that crap. He could heal perfectly fine on his own, without help from random quacks.

Unexpectedly, the teen's only response was to brush past him to lead the way. Kanda felt a small smile tugging at his lips. So he wasn't like the Moyashi, at least in this aspect. His silence was kind of… refreshing.

The dark-haired exorcist started in horror, mentally slapping himself. It was unnerving, how much he trusted this boy, and he didn't even know his name yet! Shit. Kanda shook his head to clear his thoughts; he wasn't supposed to feel anything except anger! Other emotions distracted you, confused you, and weakened you; while anger made you stronger. It had been drilled into him since Mugen was his, and he was not going to forget.

Dragging long fingers through his untied raven tresses, he sighed, moving to catch up with the younger male, only to stop abruptly as he suddenly appeared tight in front of him.

How did he get here so quickly? Kanda blinked in shock, absently marveling at the extraordinary beauty the boy possessed. With his ash-coloured shoulder length layers, amethyst-silver eyes, angular features and perfectly toned physiques, everything about him screamed pure, untainted innocence. Much like the baka Moyashi, with the exception of the multiple piercings on his right ear, intricate tattoo on his neck, and the occasional glimpse of an exquisite silver gun tucked in his oversized jacket. Such a contradiction… Kanda would have to remember to ask him about it later.

Those pale, petal-pink lips opened, and Kanda found his gaze riveted. "Is something wrong? You seem… uncomfortable."

His mind suffered a second mental slap. Uttering a brisk "Nothing's wrong," in response, the sword-wielding exorcist reached up to fasten his ponytail, reluctantly tearing his eyes away from the delicious sight. Kanda turned his head away, trying to hide the pale blush staining his cheeks. "Where the fuck are you taking me?"

The youth blinked slowly, drawing Kanda's attention to his silver-flecked violet eyes, framed with gilded eyelashes any girl would be jealous of.

"… Home."

Kanda frowned. Was he an imbecile or what? They had barely known each other for two hours, and the idiot was going to bring him home? What, did he think they were going to be playing Happy Families?

"Is there a problem?"

Well of course there's a problem. What if he were a serial killer? The naïve imbecile, how did he manage to survive this long in Tokyo anyway? Kanda knew he wasn't a serial killer, but still. That was beside the point.

And what would the point be? A voice resounded in the recesses of his mind, sounding mockingly like the baka usagi.

"Che." Kanda shook his head no, avoiding the other's narrowed gaze. Why the hell was he acting like some lovesick schoolgirl? At that thought, he flushed bright red, much to the amusement of the beauty of a boy standing in front of him.

Since when did he lose the ability to control his facial expressions? Shit. Kanda Yuu does not, and will never blush. Desperately trying to suppress his blush, Kanda managed an annoyed growl, hating the way he hid his eyes behind his bangs.

He thought he saw the corners of those perfect lips quirk up in a miniscule smile for a split second, delight sparkling in lilac irises before a wall seemed to slam down on his emotions, closing them off to the bewildered exorcist who followed preoccupiedly behind when he silently turned and walked away.

Zero walked, his head down, on autopilot towards the abandoned mansion he once called home.

Shoving his hands into his pockets, the ex-human hunter scowled, mood turning blacker with every step towards the imposing manor. He hated this place. It reminded him of that horrible day, of her.

He stopped, as if unable to go further, memories of his lost humanity suddenly surfacing and choking him.

Hating himself for showing this gaping chink in his armour, Zero tried valiantly to ignore the bile rising in his throat, an unfortunate side-effect of the hunter charm he used to suppress his bloodlust. He curled both arms around his torso in a tight hug, clutching his beloved Bloody Rose so hard that his knuckles turned white.

He could feel the swordsman's gaze boring into him from behind, and was glad that the other man did not try to fuss over him. Subconsciously hunching his shoulders, the hunter closed his lilac eyes, dry heaves racking through his slender frame.

Pushing the back of a hand against his mouth to muffle the dry sobs escaping, Zero crouched forward, half-sitting on the asphalt. He knew he should be ashamed of this hideous weakness, but he was past caring by now. The pain of losing both his family and humanity was still fresh in his mind, despite the years with Cross, and seeing the place he grew up in just acted as a catalyst in the release of his pent up emotions.

Shit. What was the other going to think of him now?

What was Ichiru going to think of him now?

The ex-human trembled, sobs starting in earnest. Why should he care? After all, Ichiru was gone now. There was no one left to strive for.

He stiffened when he felt a pair of unfamiliar arms wrap around him from behind. Midnight hair cascaded over his shoulders, partially covering his face in a dark blue curtain. He felt something warm nuzzle into the side of his neck, whispering words of comfort and protection into a decorated ear.

His first reaction was to struggle, as was born of his hunter reflex and training. His heart, however, told him to go with the flow. Body unwillingly relaxing into the warmth offered by the pair of black-clad arms encircling him. Zero thought about the bizarre sequence of events that lead to him fainting into the other's arms. Shielded by a thick drape of obsidian strands, the silver-haired teen smiled wryly. What had possessed Kuran to actually propose to him during class changeover anyway?

To be standing outside the hated place where everything was taken away from him, in the arms of a sword-wielding, stormy-eyed strange man whose arms he literally fell into, just after a magnificent disfigurement of an electronic store caused by an enraged pureblood who publically announced his intention to make Zero his, and the abovementioned strange man. Zero suddenly threw his head back laughing, finding the situation ludicrous.

"What's your name?" He asked, turning his head to look properly at the raven-haired man hugging him from behind. Tear tracks streaked his alabaster skin, clinging onto the tips of his gorgeously long eyelashes, though his eyes retained the mirth he earlier displayed.

"Kanda… Yuu Kanda."

Zero grinned again. At least his name was normal. He had been half-expecting it to be something really weird and clichéd like Sword, or Lightning, which really went to show the incredulity of the situation.

Pushing away from this small haven of comfort, Zero ran his hands through gilded tresses. "Kiriyuu Zero."

He took a few steps forward, only to sway on his feet, reaching out with a pale hand to clutch at Kanda's shirt for support. Knees almost buckling, he simultaneously shook his head and rubbed his forehead, trying to overcome the wave of dizziness blurring his vision. What was wrong with him? What was with this fainting into Kanda's arms business?

Kanda rolled his eyes, part in disgust and part in anxiety. It was beginning to seem like his life's responsibility to prevent Zero from hitting the ground.

Zero… Kanda mused. His name was such a misnomer, if his beauty and skill with a gun were anything to go by.

Slipping an arm under his knees, Kanda swung him easily into his embrace, his second arm supporting slender shoulders in bridal fashion.

They approached the mansion in that manner, Kanda silencing weak protests from the youth he was carrying with worried glares. Zero wasn't in any position to rebel, in any case. The blue-eyed exorcist sent a disapproving frown down at the sickly picture the other presented, lying limply braced on his chest.

Unknowingly pouting at being thwarted in his bid for freedom, Zero opened his lilac eyes, attempting a glower, only to release a pained moan when bright sunlight hit him full blown, bringing forward a throbbing headache.

Kanda found his heart clenching at the thought of Zero in pain. Trying his best to be gentle, he stalked up the path to the set of imposing wrought iron gates. Surprisingly, the gates weren't locked. Nudging them open with his hip, the exorcist ventured inside the lush compound, which appeared to be totally devoid of human attention.

The door, too was unlocked. Kanda stepped into the threshold, cradling an unconscious Zero in his arms.

"What's wrong with Young Master?"

Kanda whipped around to glare at the newcomer.

"Who the fuck are you?"


	3. Chapter 3

Zero sat bolt upright, clutching at his head as the room swam dizzily in and out of focus.

Where was he? Falling back onto the bed, he reached out blindly with his right hand. It had been so many years, yet the inborn instinct to turn to his loved one for support and comfort still remained intact.

Kanda had always been a light sleeper, and that slight movement caught his eye. He roused from his position in the armchair beside Zero's bed, moving to sit on the luxurious four-poster canopy bed near the satin-cased pillow where the other's silver locks rested.

He felt a light touch on his thigh, and his heart involuntarily warmed at the thought of Zero reaching out to him.

Leaning over, he placed a hand on Zero's forehead, frowning when he felt the temperature.

Just then, the door opened. A girl wearing a light blue dress stepped delicately inside, balancing a tray of soaked towels in her hands. She looked to be about fifteen years old, with bright hazel eyes and honey blonde hair. The girl, probably a servant, was small of stature, wavy tresses flowing past her shoulders to touch the ribbon of the white apron tied around her waist.

She was the one who called Zero her young master.

Their gazes met, and Kanda felt the same intense dislike radiating from her. The room filled with tense silence, each refusing to budge from their respective positions on either side of Zero.

It was as if Zero could sense the discomfort they were in, for he stirred and let out a small pained groan

Immediately, they focused all their attention on the half-conscious teen, who turned to face Kanda before slowly opening his eyes.

Kanda smirked at the death glares he received. Somehow, he felt for Zero. It was rare for him to trust anyone at all, but for some reason, he had unknowingly given Zero his trust. He was such a delightful mass of contradictions…

Stroking the silver strands spread out on the satin pillowcase, Kanda relished the murderous vibes coming off the jealous female, granting one of his blue-moon-only gentle smiles to the dazed boy lying beside him on the bed. He found that he enjoyed staking his claim on Zero, and wondered about the sudden reappearance of his possessive streak.

His smile turned dark as he realized the last time he felt anything even remotely resembling this. Perhaps that was why he was feeling this shitload of emotions yet again, so long after he left. After his betrayal.

Perhaps that was why he kept drawing absurd comparisons between Zero and his Moyashi.

No, not his now. Allen Walker ceased to be his the moment he left the Order to join the Noah.

Troubled by his disturbing train of thought, Kanda abruptly snatched his hand away from its resting position upon Zero's silky hair.

If what he was doing was just finding a replacement for his ex-lover, it was not going to be Zero. In his opinion, nobody deserved to be treated like that, especially not Zero.

Kanda stood up, moving to stand in front of a stunning set of French windows, his brow furrowed in thought as he stared sightlessly at the astounding view of the surrounding landscape. Why was this happening to him again? Didn't he swear not to let such emotions surface again?...

"Mijuuri-san…" Zero rasped. Impatiently, he tried to push away the damp cloth dabbing at his forehead, trying instead to get Kanda's attention.

'"Mijuuri-san, could you please leave us for a moment?"

"But Zero-sama! You're not well! I would prefer to stay here with you…"

The hunter glared, thought the effect was rather weak due to his inability to even sit up straight on his own.

"Just Zero, for God's sake. And I'll be perfectly fine. It's only for a few minutes."

"But Zer— mmph!" Mijuuri protested before a wet towel smacked her full on the face, cutting her off midsentence.

Sending a dirty look at the cheekily grinning youth, she coolly picked up her tray and headed outside, firm in her belief that her young master was led astray by the ponytailed swordsman who carried him home.

She shut the door behind her as she left, knowing that her master was a very private person. He had never seemed so… carefree before, at least not after his brother left. For all she knew, Zero had always been a serious child, Mijuuri wondered if Kanda, she believed that was his name, caused this change in her young master.

A wistful sigh escaped her lips. Zero had never, not even once, smiled at her like that before. Trying vainly to suppress a sharp pang of jealousy, she padded down the drafty corridor, pasting a fake smile on her face. It would not do for Zero to find out about her feelings.

Kanda swiveled around to face him, an unreadable expression on his face as he surveyed the merry visage Zero presented. As soon as the sound of Mijuuri's footsteps faded away, he strode forward, black hair swishing as he bent down to retrieve the offensive piece of cloth.

Holding it at arm's length between his index finger and thumb, he stared at it distastefully before transferring his gaze onto Zero. The raising of an elegant eyebrow totally cracked Zero up, clutching at his sides as waves of contagious mirth racked through his body, resonating through the lavishly decorated bedroom.

Despite his usual impassiveness, Kanda found himself trying to ignore his funny bone, the corners of his lips quirking up in a tiny smile. His attempts at hardening his heart must have failed, because he couldn't help releasing a soft chuckle, which quickly grew into magnificent proportions. He hadn't laughed like that since… what? Five years ago?

Gradually they calmed down, breathing evening out. "What just happened?"

Kanda arched that eyebrow again. "Well, you threw a wet towel smack at the girl's face. Then you fell about laughing like a crazy maniac."

Zero broke into another round of giggles. Really, Kanda was like his personal anti-depressant or something.

"No, I meant with the fighting. And also the fact that I keep fainting around you." The silver-haired teen reverted back to his normal serious tone.

"How the fuck would I know? But he was a great opponent, the first to really challenge me in a long while."

"Of course. He is, after all, the pureblood prince. The future King of Vampires. I was actually wondering how you managed to keep up."

Kanda stiffened. Weren't the fangs and inhumane powers caused by the innocence? No, it was impossible. Everybody knows that creatures like Vampires don't exist.

"What the fuck are you going on about? Everyone knows that vampires are only mythical!"

"You mean you didn't know? Crap…"

"Since I'm so ignorant, why don't you explain?"

Zero was more than a little hurt at his accusing tone, and he lashed out in return, undoing the bloodlust suppressing spell in one quick motion.

Kanda stared at Zero in shock, backing up a step. His eyes… Holy fuck, his eyes were glowing bright crimson!

"Now you know better." He spat, getting out of bed with the same fluid grace Kuran possessed, the bitterness in his tome unmistakable.

They glowered across the bed at each other, animosity and wariness clearly shown in both their gazes. Zero pressed the palm of his left hand against his tattoo again, breathing hard as the all too familiar pain in his chest flared to life.

"Just go. Please."

He dropped his gaze to the floor, ashamed to find his voice husky. Great, not only did he need blood really badly, now even his voice refused to work properly.

He gasped as another wave of bloodlust hit him full on. Shit! Why was the stupid blockhead still standing there? Didn't he say to leave?

Oh God, the sound… the smell…

He could almost taste Kanda's sweet lifeblood; feel it rushing gloriously down his throat, quenching the dreadful thirst that plagued him; taking the throbbing pain in his chest away.

Get him to leave.

That was his last coherent thought in his head before he lunged forward.


End file.
